“Across the U.S., the Confederate flag – held up by some as a motif of southern culture but derided by many others as a symbol of repugnant racism – faces a challenge it has not seen for years, in the aftermath of the shooting dead of nine church members in Charleston and the revelation that the suspect, Dylann Roof, appears to be a white supremacist and a supporter of so-called neo-Confederate values.

“On Tuesday morning, members of the state assembly in South Carolina approved a measure that allows them to consider removing the Confederate flag from the Statehouse grounds. On Monday, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and Senator Lindsay Graham called for it to be removed and said that to many the flag was a “deeply offensive symbol of a brutally oppressive past.”

In light of the recent events in Charleston, former governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, stated that “people have to learn to keep moving forward, regardless of the tragedies and hardships that rage through their lives.” Speaking exclusively with Newslo, Palin also commented on the current efforts by South Carolina officials to ban the Confederate flag from use.

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“I think that’s an idiotic idea, to tell you the truth,” the former Alaska Gov. said. “That flag represents a lot of things from the past. True, some were very bad, and there’s no escaping that. But, there were also good things that flag stands for, and I for one won’t let it be cast aside as a tool used by those looking to exploit the tragedy in Charleston. It’s part of our past and those who do not remember their past often don’t have a future.”

Palin also mentioned part of her hopes for the upcoming 2016 presidential election: “And you know something else? I was born in Idaho, so I’m not a Southern girl by birth, but I support and believe in traditional southern values with all of my heart. In fact, I hope we finally get to put the Confederate flag on the White House next year. Not only would that be a radical and positive turn in American politics, but it would also say “in your face” to those who are looking to make true Americans forget who they are.”